High Court
Kerala High Court
Ernakulam
The Kerala High Court was established in 1956. It has jurisdiction over the state of Kerala and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
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News & Updates Published
Order
FIR Ordered Against Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena Thaikkandiyil and Mohammed Riyas in CMRL-Exalogic Case: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court on October 9, 2026, directed the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register an FIR in the CMRL-Exalogic case involving former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena Thaikkandiyil and his son-in-law Mohammed Riyas. Justice A. Badharudeen passed the order on a…
Order
Alleged Elbow Hit on Woman’s Chest Insufficient to Establish Intent to Outrage Modesty, Man Acquitted: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has acquitted Rajendran in a molestation case dating back to 2002, setting aside his conviction and sentence under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Justice Jobin Sebastian passed the order on September 30, 2026, while allowing Criminal Revision Petition No. 481 of 2007. The case arose…
Order
Police Directed to Strictly Enforce Public Smoking Ban and Conduct Awareness on Passive Smoking: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has disposed of a public interest litigation seeking strict enforcement of the legal ban on smoking in public places across Kerala. The petition was filed by Prof. Monamma Kokkad in WP(PIL) No. 195 of 2026, decided on October 7, 2026. The petitioner argued that directions issued by the High Court…
Order
Notaries Act Protection Unavailable for Forged Attestation in Signatory’s Absence: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition filed by P. Imbichi Koya, a 67-year-old advocate and Kerala State Notary, seeking to quash criminal proceedings against him in a vigilance case involving an allegedly forged consent letter linked to a building permit. Justice A. Badharudeen passed the order on September…
Order
498A Case Against In-Laws Retained Over Allegations of Calling Daughter-in-Law a ‘Servant’ and ‘Cancer in Their Life’: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Sreejith MS, the fourth accused in a matrimonial cruelty case, while refusing to end the case against his parents, Sasi MR and Shantha P.A. The order was passed by Justice G. Girish on 5 October 2026. The case arose from Crime No.64/2022 of Chottanikkara…
Order
20-Year Jail Term Upheld for Man Convicted of Repeated Sexual Assault on 12-Year-Old Niece: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a criminal appeal challenging the conviction and sentence of the accused in a POCSO case tried by the Fast Track Special Court, Wadakkanchery. The case arose from Crime No. 977/2021 of Pazhayannur Police Station, Thrissur. The accused was convicted by the Special Court on 25.06.2024…
Judgment
Preventive Detention of BJP Councillor Sugathan R Quashed Over Procedural Lapses Under KAAPA: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has set aside the preventive detention of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation Councillor Sugathan R under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 2007 (KAAPA), finding serious procedural lapses in the detention process. The petition was filed by his wife, Aswathi G R, challenging…
Judgment
Disability Does Not Extinguish Husband’s Duty to Maintain Wife, Kerala HC Upholds ₹10,000 Monthly Maintenance: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed R.P.F.C. No. 122 of 2024 and upheld an order directing the petitioner to pay ₹10,000 per month as maintenance to the respondent. The case arose from M.C. No. 137 of 2019 before the Family Court, Kottayam at Ettumanoor. The petitioner and respondent married on 1 August 2015. It was…
Order
Wife Declared Exclusive Owner of Jointly Registered Property, Husband Directed to Vacate House Within Three Months: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has declared Raslin the exclusive owner of a 2.8 Ares (7 cents) property and the building standing on it, in a matrimonial dispute involving her husband Shamsheer Kurudan Candy. The judgment was delivered on 26 September 2026 in Mat.Appeal Nos.84 and 581 of 2022. Raslin had claimed that her…
Judgment
YouTuber Thoppi Granted Anticipatory Bail, Kerala High Court Notes No Obscene or Sexually Coloured Remarks Were Directly Made by Him: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Muhammed Nihad @ Thoppi in a case registered by Manjeri Police in Malappuram district over alleged objectionable remarks and the unauthorised display of a woman's photographs and videos during a YouTube livestream. The order was passed by Justice Dr. Kauser…
Order
Mere Relationship With Husband’s Family Insufficient for Domestic Violence Proceedings Without Proof of Shared Household: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has quashed proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 against two persons who were arrayed as the fourth and fifth respondents in a domestic violence case before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-IV, Kozhikode. The petitioners, who were the brother-in-law…
Order
Flag Insult Case Against Lakshadweep Man Quashed, Accidental Display of 'Saffron Down' Without Intent Not an Offence: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Mohammed Kasim H.K., who was accused of insulting the Indian National Flag by sharing a photograph in which the saffron band appeared at the bottom. Justice A. Badharudeen held that the prosecution material did not indicate that the flag had been displayed…
Judgment
Preventive Detention of BJP Councillor Sugathan R Quashed Over Procedural Lapses Under KAAPA: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has set aside the preventive detention of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation Councillor Sugathan R under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 2007 (KAAPA), finding serious procedural lapses in the detention process. The petition was filed by his wife, Aswathi G R, challenging…
Judgment
Disability Does Not Extinguish Husband’s Duty to Maintain Wife, Kerala HC Upholds ₹10,000 Monthly Maintenance: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed R.P.F.C. No. 122 of 2024 and upheld an order directing the petitioner to pay ₹10,000 per month as maintenance to the respondent. The case arose from M.C. No. 137 of 2019 before the Family Court, Kottayam at Ettumanoor. The petitioner and respondent married on 1 August 2015. It was…
Judgment
YouTuber Thoppi Granted Anticipatory Bail, Kerala High Court Notes No Obscene or Sexually Coloured Remarks Were Directly Made by Him: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Muhammed Nihad @ Thoppi in a case registered by Manjeri Police in Malappuram district over alleged objectionable remarks and the unauthorised display of a woman's photographs and videos during a YouTube livestream. The order was passed by Justice Dr. Kauser…
Judgment
Bar Council Directed to Update List of Advocates Who Have Not Cleared AIBE Since 2021: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has directed the Bar Council of Kerala to update its list of advocates from 2021 onwards in relation to compliance with the All India Bar Examination (AIBE). The direction was issued by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V. M. on 23rd September, 2026. The…
Judgment
Domestic Violence Case Cannot Be Quashed Merely Due to Delay: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Mathews Wilson and Gracy Wilson, seeking to quash proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 pending before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III, Thrissur. Mathews Wilson, aged 43, is the husband of Anu Mol, aged 38, while…
Judgment
Consensual Relationship Cannot Constitute an Offence Due to Failed Promise of Marriage, FIR Quashed: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court considered a case involving Zahid Shanavas, who was the sole accused in Crime No. 219 of 2026 of Vazhakkulam Police Station, Ernakulam. The case concerned allegations that he had sexual intercourse with the de facto complainant after promising to marry her and later asked her to abort a child…
Judgment
Married Woman Voluntarily Accompanying Man to Hotel Cannot Claim Sexual Relationship Was Induced by Promise of Marriage: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court at Ernakulam has quashed an FIR and all further proceedings against Habibur Rahman, the sole accused in a case registered at Kovalam Police Station. The case alleged that he promised to marry the de facto complainant, took her to a hotel on 3 November 2025, and had sexual intercourse with her…
Judgment
Love Relationship Has No Relevance When Victim Is a Minor, 10-Year POCSO Sentence Upheld: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed the criminal appeal filed by Reji and upheld his conviction and sentence in a case involving the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl. Justice A. Badharudeen delivered the judgment on September 1, 2026, holding that an alleged love relationship or consensual sexual activity has no…
Judgment
NIA Cannot Recover Salary Paid to Public Prosecutor During Deputation Based on Subsequent Pay Re-Fixation: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has delivered a significant verdict stating that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) cannot recover salary paid to a Public Prosecutor during his deputation period based on a subsequent pay re-fixation. The court observed that the pay fixed at the time of deputation and the subsequent…
Judgment
Christian Women Allowed to File Divorce Cases Where They Currently Reside: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has held that a Christian wife seeking dissolution of marriage can file her divorce petition before the District Court or Family Court having jurisdiction over the place where she is residing when the petition is filed. The Court clarified that this remains possible even if the marriage was…
Judgment
Reporting an Official Arrest Without Defamatory Intent Cannot Attract Criminal Case: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has quashed criminal defamation proceedings against the Chief Editor, Editor and Reporter of Malayala Manorama, holding that merely reporting an official arrest on the basis of an official occurrence report does not automatically amount to criminal defamation. The Court emphasised that the…
Judgment
Placing a Vibrating Device on a Minor Victim's Vaginal Opening Constitutes Penetrative Sexual Assault: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by a man convicted of sexually assaulting a minor girl in Ernakulam in 2019. The court confirmed the 10-year rigorous imprisonment awarded by the Fast Track Special Court, Perumbavoor, and upheld the conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences…
Order
Failure to Consider Counsel’s Health, Passing Ex-Parte Order Violates Natural Justice, Requires Setting Aside of Appellate Order: Kerala High Court
Ernakulam, 23 October 2024 – In a significant ruling, the High Court of Kerala addressed a dispute regarding gratuity payments under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. The case involved Unnikrishna Pillai P.V., a former Vice President at HDFC Bank Limited, who challenged the Appellate Authority's decision on his…
Order
Custody Order by CWC Must Prioritize Child’s Best Interests, Not Personal Moral Judgments; Court Awards Infant's Custody to Breastfeeding Mother: Kerala High Court
In a landmark judgment delivered by Justice V.G. Arun, the High Court of Kerala addressed the critical issue of maternal rights concerning child custody under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. This case involved a young lactating mother who sought custody of her child, recently taken…
Order
Budgetary Constraints Cannot Supersede Constitutional Right to Equal Pension Benefits: Kerala High Court
In a landmark decision, the Kerala High Court has determined that pre-2006 retirees of the Assam Rifles are entitled to revised pension benefits equivalent to those received by post-2006 retirees. This ruling was delivered by Justice Harisankar V. Menon and is significant in addressing issues of equality and…
Order
No Double Jeopardy, Court Refuses to Quash Rape Case Against Alleged Fraudster Monson Mavunkal: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling regarding allegations of sexual assault, the Honorable Court dismissed a petition challenging the trial of a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 376 (punishment for rape), Section 354A (sexual harassment), and others. The case sheds light on the…
Order
Court Directs Cochin Devaswom Board to Determine the Permissibility of Mobile Phone Videography in Managed Temples: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling delivered on September 23, 2024, the High Court of Kerala, comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice P.G. Ajithkumar, addressed the ongoing concerns regarding the use of mobile phones and videography inside the historic Sri Vadakkumnathan Temple. This directive stems from Report No. 33…
Order
Pledging Wife's Gold Without Her Consent Constitutes Criminal Breach of Trust Under Section 406 of IPC: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling, the High Court of Kerala upheld the conviction of Surendra Kumar, who was found guilty of criminal breach of trust under Section 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The judgment was delivered on October 17, 2024, by Justice A. Badharuideen. Case Overview The case originated from a complaint…
Order
Enhanced Compensation Ordered for Lands Acquired for Brahmapuram Waste Treatment Plant Phase II Construction: Kerala High Court
In a landmark decision, the Kerala High Court has significantly enhanced the compensation for land acquired by the state government for the construction of the Brahmapuram Solid Waste and Treatment Plant Phase II. The Division Bench, comprising Justice Amit Rawal and Justice Easwaran S, established a uniform…
Order
POCSO Accused Entitled to Unredacted Prosecution Records, Balance Required Between Right to Defend and Minor's Privacy: Kerala High Court
In a significant judgment, the Kerala High Court has ruled that an accused in a POCSO case is entitled to receive unmasked copies of prosecution records, essential for their defense. The ruling emphasizes the need for courts to balance the "privacy of the victims" with the rights of the accused. Key Observations from…
Order
Person Cannot Be Prosecuted for Allegedly Smoking ‘Beedi’ Containing ‘Ganja’ Without Forensic Examination of the Beedi: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling, the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam has quashed the proceedings against Hamjith, a 26-year-old resident of Malappuram, in connection with a case filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. This decision came during a hearing on October 15, 2024, regarding Crl.MC No.…
Order
Conviction for Allegedly Selling Fake Cassettes on Footpath Set Aside as Ingredients of Copyright Infringement Not Established: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling by the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir on October 9, 2024, the court dismissed an appeal by the State against the acquittal of Rakesh Kumar and his brother-in-law, Harbans Lal, in a case concerning the alleged abetment of the suicide of Sanjokta Kumari. The appeal was filed after the Principal…
Order
Delay in Investigating 2022 Rape Allegations Against Ponnani Police Officers Questioned as “Shocking Failure to Take Action”: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling concerning allegations against public servants, the High Court has delivered a judgment that underscores the procedural requirements for prosecution under Section 197(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The case involved serious accusations of sexual misconduct by police officers,…
![[POCSO ACT]Principal and Teacher Not Guilty of Failing to Report Crime as Student's Complaint Was Sent to Police the Next Day: Kerala High Court](https://law4u.in/newsImage-location/newsImage2868.webp)
Order
[POCSO ACT]Principal and Teacher Not Guilty of Failing to Report Crime as Student's Complaint Was Sent to Police the Next Day: Kerala High Court
In a significant ruling on October 16, 2024, the Kerala High Court addressed the complexities surrounding the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (PoCSO Act) in the case of Crl.MC No. 7715 of 2023. This decision focused on the responsibilities of school authorities and staff in reporting allegations of…
Delay in Challenging Family Court Orders in Matrimonial Disputes Can Be Fatal as Parties May Alter Their Marital Status: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has observed that delay in challenging orders passed by Family Courts in matrimonial disputes, particularly in matters relating to dissolution of marriage, can be fatal because parties may alter their marital status after the expiry of the appeal period. The Court emphasized that great care and…
About the Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court was established in 1956. It has jurisdiction over the state of Kerala and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
Seat
Ernakulam
State / UT
Kerala
Region
South India
